Manufacture of reticulated backs for friction blocks



Sept. 3, 1929. J. 5. THOMPSON 1,727,184

MANUFACTURE OF RETICULATED BACKS FOR FRICTION BLOCKS Filed April 50, 1927 2/ 6 CuT OFF Jaye/Z2221 Patented Sept. 3, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES S. THOMPSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN BRAKE MATE- RIALS CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MANUFACTURE OF RETICULATED BACKS FOR FRICTION BLOCKS.

Application filed April 30,

This inv'ention relates to the manufacture of reticulated backs for friction blocks or shoes for braking a moving member by frict ional contact therewith.

These blocks comprise a composition body mountcd upon a recticulated back which pr0- jects beyond the ends or sides or both the ends and sides of the body and is trimmed with sheet metal strips which embrace the projecting edges and reinforce and strengthen them to receive the means whereby the blocks are fastened upon a brake head or other support. The strips are folded upon the projecting edges of the reticulated back and are secured thereon in various Ways, by*

pressing them snugly upon the reticulated back, by spot welding, or other suitable means. The back may be made of a Woven wire fabric, but I use the word reticulated herein to indicate broadly and generically a woven wire back, a perforated back or any other similar back to which the composition body is adapted to be secured by pressing it upon and through the interstices of the back.

The present invention has for its .object to provide novel and simple method and means for quickly and efficiently making reticulated metal backs with opposite edges bound in folded metal strips for use in making blocks or shoes for friction brakes.

I have illustrated the invention diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings and referring thereto:

Fig. l'shows the binding strips arranged in relation to the side edges of a web of reticulated material 'towhich the strips are to be applied, and the dotted lines indicate the first rolloperation.

material.

' Fig. 2 illustrates the second roll operation. Fig. 3 illustrates the third roll or completed operation. I

Fig. 4 is a plan View showing-the binding strips partly applied to the web of reticulated Referring to the d-r awingfi is a web of re; ticulated material and 6, 6 are the blndmg strips. These strips are of comparatively thin sheet metal. They may be varied in width as desired to meet different conditions, and they are arranged parallel to each other adjacent the side edges of the web, the web being preferably disposed at or about the middle of the strips so that when the strips are applied to the web the free edges of each 1927. Serial No. 188,029.

strip will be substantially flush with each other. 7 2

. I fold the strips upon the edges of the web in a rolling operation which may be conveniently accomplished in three sets of rolls, but additional sets of rolls may be provided if it shall be found desirable. The first set of rolls 7 bend the strips inwardly, the second set of rolls 8 continue the inwardly bending operation, and the third set of rolls 9 complete the bending and folding operation and press the folded strips snugly upon the side edges of the web to provide a continuous sheet metal reinforce for the side edges of the web. The rolls 9 may be operated under a suiiicient pressure to tightly clamp the folded strips upon the back so that they will remain in this position under ordinary conditions of service. After the Web has been bound with the folded strips, as heretofore described, itlnay be cut into sect-ions, as indicated by the broken line 10, of any predetermined width to form hacks for friction blocks. Before or after the backs have been cut from the web openings indicated by 11in 4 may be punched in the bound edges to receive the means whereby the block is fastened to a head or support, and the opposite sides of each folded strip may be spot welded at these openings or elsewhere to more securely hold the strips on the reticulated material. By properly applying the roll pressure upon the strips, however, it is possible to suficiently clamp the strips on the edges of the reticulated material to hold them in place under ordinary conditions.

I The invention provides a simple and eflicient method and means whereby reticulated backshavi'ng their opposite edges bound with metal strips may be quickly produced in'uniform sizes orin, varying sizes as may bedesired. The cutting opera-tion may be conveniently performed as the web is bound, or the bound web may be rolled for storage and backs may be cut therefrom as required. The

operation is simple in character and may be desirable in makingbacks of this *kind and 1 for this purpose that they should be uniform in their various sizes and this can best be accomplished by pursuing'a method of manu' facture like that herein described where continuous strips are applied to the side edges of a continuous web and then the bound web is cut into backs of the desired size, This method of operation enables the backs to be cut to proper dimensions and with assurance that they will be uniform in their respective sizes.

I claim:

The herein described method of making reticulated backs for friction brake blocks, the backs having opposite edges bound With metal strips, Which method consists in providing a continuous Web of reticulated metal ot a predetermined Width, disposing the binding strips perpendicular to the Web at both side iymmee edges thereof partly above and partly below the Web, continuously moving the Web forwardly, continuously moving the strips forwardly With the Web and between a series of rolls Which fold and press and bind the strips upon the side edges of the Web in one continu ous operation, and then cutting the strip transversely to provide backs each adapted to receive the body of a block between the bind ing at opposite edges of the back.

Janus s. THOMPSON. 

